|electricity=220V/50Hz (US/European plug for 2-pin, Australian plug for 3-pin)

+

|timezone=UTC +8

+

}}

'''Yunnan''' (云南; ''Yúnnán'') is a province in southern [[China]], bordering [[Myanmar]], [[Laos]] and [[Vietnam]] as well as the Chinese provinces and regions of [[Guangxi]], [[Guizhou]], [[Sichuan]] and [[Tibet]].

'''Yunnan''' (云南; ''Yúnnán'') is a province in southern [[China]], bordering [[Myanmar]], [[Laos]] and [[Vietnam]] as well as the Chinese provinces and regions of [[Guangxi]], [[Guizhou]], [[Sichuan]] and [[Tibet]].

==Regions==

==Regions==

+

Administratively, Yunnan is divided into 16 prefectures. Some of those are autonomous prefectures for various ethnic groups. For the traveller, Yunnan can be divided into seven regions:

−

Administratively, Yunnan is divided into many prefectures. Some of those are "autonomous prefectures" for various ethnic groups. For the traveller, Yunnan can be divided into 7 regions:

+

{{Regionlist

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| regionmap=Yunnan.png

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| regionmaptext=Regions of Yunnan

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| regionmapsize=430px

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| region1name=[[Kunming Prefecture]]

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| region1color=#c9bd79

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| region1items=

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| region1description=Without a doubt the heart of Yunnan Province. You will likely pass through here whether or not you want to in Yunnan (not that it is a bad thing!)

+

| region2name=[[Central Yunnan]]

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| region2color=#c1e25c

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| region2items=

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| region2description=West of Kunming and where the hills start becoming more rugged. This is a very popular region for backpackers. It includes Dali Prefecture and Chuxiong Prefecture

+

| region3name=[[Eastern Yunnan]]

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| region3color=#cfcf94

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| region3items=

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| region3description=Filled with the gorgeous scenery of the rolling hills of neighboring [[Guizhou]] and [[Guangxi]] transforming into the high, hilly plateau of Yunnan. This area includes many tourist sites not regularly visited by backpackers. It includes Zhaotong Prefecture, Qujing Prefecture and Wenshan Prefecture

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| region4name=[[Southeastern Yunnan]]

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| region4color=#acc2a6

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| region4items=

+

| region4description=Amazingly diverse, in one day you could pass through arid badlands, lush pine forests, barren hills, [[Yuanyang|rice terrace]] and tropical rainforests. The urban centres in this area of Yunnan are very compact and it is quite easy to get around from city to city to see the sights. It includes Yuxi Prefecture and Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture

+

| region5name=[[Southern Yunnan]]

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| region5color=#c8aa92

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| region5items=

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| region5description=Geographically and ethnically part of Southeast Asia, but politically part of China. Jungle covers most of the terrain and this is probably the best region of China to escape the winter. It includes Simao Prefecture and Xishuangbanna, a major tourist area

+

| region6name=[[Western Yunnan]]

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| region6color=#b69eb3

+

| region6items=

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| region6description=Home to some very rugged, off-the-beaten-path terrain. Once the location of the famed [[Burma Road]], it is now one of China's most alluring destinations. It includes Lincang Prefecture, Baoshan Prefecture, Dehong Prefecture and Nujiang Prefecture

+

| region7name=[[Northwestern Yunnan]]

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| region7color=#e7ef5d

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| region7items=

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| region7description=A chunk of ancient and historic Tibet within Yunnan's provincial boundaries. Many travelers come here to experience Tibet without having to enter the actual province and follow the road to West Sichuan. You will find towering mountain ranges and fascinating local culture here. It includes Lijiang Prefecture and Diqing Prefecture

+

}}

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* '''[[Kunming Prefecture]]''' is without a doubt the heart of Yunnan Province. You will likely pass through here whether or not you want to in Yunnan (not that it is a bad thing!).

+

==Cities==

−

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* [[Pu'er]] Pu'er tea,festivals and special groups

−

* '''Central Yunnan''' is west of Kunming and where the hills start becoming more rugged. This is a very popular region for backpackers. Includes: [[Dali Prefecture]] and [[Chuxiong Prefecture]].

+

1.Pu'er tea

−

+

Pu'er tea is produced in Yunnan province, China, and named after the town of Pu'er.The type of tea is different,we called green tea and black tea.Pu'er is compressed into a variety of shapes, theforms include: Bing, Beeng, Cake, or Disc;Tuocha, Bowl, or Nest;Brick;Square;Mushroom;Dragon Pearl;Melon, or gold melon.The best known pu'er areas are the Six Great Tea Mountains:

−

* '''Eastern Yunnan''' is filled with the gorgeous scenery of the rolling hills of neighboring [[Guizhou]] and [[Guangxi]] transforming into the high, hilly plateau of Yunnan. This area includes many tourist sites not regularly visited by backpackers. Includes: [[Zhaotong Prefecture]], [[Qujing Prefecture]] and [[Wenshan]].

+

Gedeng (革登山): literally, "leather stirrup"

−

+

Yiwu (易武山):

−

* '''Southeastern Yunnan''' is amazingly diverse, in one day you could pass through arid badlands, lush pine forests, barren hills and tropical rainforests. The urban centres in this area of Yunnan are very compact and it is quite easy to get around from city to city to see the sights. Includes: [[Yuxi Prefecture]] and [[Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture]].

+

Mangzhi (莽枝山): literally, "copper cauldron"

−

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Manzhuan (蠻磚山): literally, "iron brick"

−

* '''Southern Yunnan''' is geographically and ethnically part of Southeast Asia, but politically part of China. Jungle covers most of the terrain and this is probably the best region of China to escape the winter. Includes: [[Simao Prefecture]] and [[Xishuangbanna]], a major tourist area.

+

Yibang(倚邦山): literally, "wooden clapper"

−

+

Yōulè (攸樂山): literally, "copper gong"

−

* '''Western Yunnan''' is home to some very rugged, off-the-beaten-path terrain. Once the location of the famed [[Burma Road]], it is now one of China's most alluring destinations. Includes: [[Lincang Prefecture]], [[Baoshan Prefecture]], [[Dehong Prefecture]] and [[Nujiang Prefecture]].

+

Southwest of the river there are also nine lesser known tea mountains, which are isolated by the river. They are:

−

* '''Northwestern Yunnan''' is a chunk of ancient Tibet within Yunnan's boundaries. Many traveller's come here to experience 'Tibet' without having to enter the actual province. You will find towering mountain ranges and fascinating culture here. Includes: [[Lijiang Prefecture]], [[Diqing Prefecture]] and [[Shangrila]].

There are some special groups in Pu'er,most of them are Yi, Dai, Wa, Lahu ,and Hani people.They have their own festivals,The Torch Festival is belong to Yi people;Water Splashing Festival and God Fish section are belong to Dai people;The gourd Festival is belong to Lahu people,Lusheng dance is performed on Lahu traditional festival;The Wooden drum section is belong to Wa people;The Twin section is belong to Hani people .

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* [[Kunming]] - the provincial capital

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==Other destinations==

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* [[Dali]] - backpacker central, very pretty

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* [[Dali| Dali Old Town]] (大理古城; Dàlǐ gǔchéng)

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* [[Dalup]] - border town, next to [[Myanmar]]

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* Dragon's Gate on Xishan Mountain in [[Kunming]]

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* [[Deqin]] - largely Tibetan, at 3500 m

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* Erhai Lake (洱海; Ěrhǎi)

−

* [[Gejiu]] - second largest city in Yunnan

+

* Cangshan Mountain (苍山)

−

* [[Jinghong]] - largest city in [[Xishuangbanna]], tropical tourist area

* [[Yanzidong]] (燕子洞; Yànzi dòng) Swallow's Cave near [[Jianshui]] to the south

+

* [[Yuanyang]] (元阳梯田; Yuányáng tītián) Famous rice terrace to the south

==Understand==

==Understand==

−

Its name literally means south of the clouds. The province is one of the most diverse in [[China]]. The Northwest of the province is heavily influenced by Tibet, with whom it shares a border. The South is influenced by its proximity to [[Laos]] and [[Myanmar]]. The province is famed for its multitude of ethnic groups, whose diverse customs can still be seen today. Of China's fifty-five officially recognized ethnic minorities, twenty-five can be found in Yunnan: about one-third of the population is not ethnic Han-Chinese.

+

Its name literally means south of the clouds. The province is one of the most diverse in [[China]]. The Northwest of the province is heavily influenced by Tibet, with whom it shares a border. The South is influenced by its proximity to [[Laos]] and [[Burma]]. The province is famed for its multitude of ethnic groups, whose diverse customs can still be seen today. Of China's fifty-five officially recognized ethnic minorities, twenty-five can be found in Yunnan: about one-third of the population is not ethnic Han-Chinese.

==Talk==

==Talk==

−

The official language of Yunnan is [[Chinese phrasebook|Mandarin Chinese]] (or Putonghua as it is known). The region is home to a plethora of dialects from Chinese, Tibetan and Thai language families. Yunnan is home to many minority groups who each have their own different language.

+

The official language of Yunnan is [[Chinese phrasebook|Standard Chinese]] (普通话; pǔtōnghuà). The region is home to a plethora of dialects from Chinese, Tibetan and Thai language families. Yunnan is home to many minority groups who each have their own different language.

Local towns will often have their own version of Mandarin which are sub-dialects of the South-Western dialect of Mandarin common to Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. Despite a heavy accent, the local dialect of Chinese is very similar to Northern Mandarin with only minor regional differences in grammar and pronunciation.

Local towns will often have their own version of Mandarin which are sub-dialects of the South-Western dialect of Mandarin common to Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. Despite a heavy accent, the local dialect of Chinese is very similar to Northern Mandarin with only minor regional differences in grammar and pronunciation.

Line 47:

Line 109:

==Get in==

==Get in==

−

===Train===

+

===By train===

−

Until 2005, Kunming was accessible by rail from [[Hanoi]], [[Vietnam]] via a narrow-gauge railroad built by the French. This rail route is now closed, though, so the best way to get down to the border is by bus, or by air from Kunming directly to Hanoi.

+

Until 2003, Kunming was accessible by rail from [[Hanoi]], [[Vietnam]] via a narrow-gauge railroad built by the French. The Chinese section of this rail route has since closed for passenger transport so the best way to get down to the border is by bus to Hekou (from where you can cross the border to Lao Cai and take the train to Hanoi), or by air from Kunming directly to Hanoi. One can take a train to Hanoi however via [[Nanning]] which is a safer option.

There is a railway from Hanoi to [[Nanning]], [[Guangxi]], and one with some sensational scenery from Nanning to Kunming. Another rail route reaches Kunming from central China via [[Guiyang]], [[Guizhou]], and a third one comes South to Kunming from [[Chengdu]], [[Sichuan]]. All of these train routes offer spectacular scenery, with long stretches of bridges and tunnels.

There is a railway from Hanoi to [[Nanning]], [[Guangxi]], and one with some sensational scenery from Nanning to Kunming. Another rail route reaches Kunming from central China via [[Guiyang]], [[Guizhou]], and a third one comes South to Kunming from [[Chengdu]], [[Sichuan]]. All of these train routes offer spectacular scenery, with long stretches of bridges and tunnels.

−

===Air===

+

===By air===

+

+

The new airport, "Kunming Changshui International Airport", is located 22 km outside of the urban area and the subway Line 6 to it is operational in time. Besides that, there are about 6 lines of airport transfer buses leading to hotels and passenger terminals in downtown. As the airport construction is a long belt shape, some boarding gates could be more than 800 meters from the security check points. Be aware of boarding time when you are visiting shops alone the long corridor.

−

Kunming has non-stop service from Beijing, [[Xiamen]] and other Chinese cities. There are also flights to Southeast Asia. Laotian airlines and the consulate are both in the Camellia hotel, Kunming.

+

Kunming has non-stop service from [[Beijing]], [[Xiamen]] and other Chinese cities. There are also flights to Southeast Asia such as Hanoi, Bangkok, Vientiane, Mandalay, Yangon. Laotian airlines and the consulate are both in the Camellia hotel, Kunming.

===Bus, by thumb===

===Bus, by thumb===

−

There is a road from Laos into Yunnan. It's not too hard to hitchhike, but it will take some time because of the often abyssmal road conditions and inept drivers.

+

There are multiple roads from Laos into Yunnan. It's not too hard to hitchhike, but it will take some time because of the often abyssmal road conditions and inept drivers. If coming from Luang Namtha, Laos, bus services are available to JingHong in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. From Luang Prabang, Laos, a daily bus leaves at 7:00am for around 400,000 Lao kip. It arrives at the long distance bus station in Kunming very early in the morning the next day (around 5 or 6am depending on the driver). The road conditions on the Laos side both from Luang Namtha and Luang Prabang are at times sketchy and definitely mountainous to cause some people discomfort but get smoother on the China side and are much improved from awhile ago.

+

+

From Vietnam, the border crossing is from LaoCai, Vietnam, to HeKou, China. The rail route from HeKou to Kunming remains closed, so the only public transport option is by bus. The ride lasts roughly 10 hours, tickets cost around &yen;135 and departure times are as following: 8:45am, 10:50am, 12:30pm, 1:00pm, 5:50pm, 5:55pm, 6:00pm, 6:05pm.

===By boat===

===By boat===

Golden Peacock Shipping company runs a speedboat three times a week on the Mekong river between [[Jinghong]] in southern Yunnan and [[Chiang Saen]] (Thailand). Passengers are not required to have visas for [[Laos]] or [[Myanmar]], although the greater part of the trip is on the river bordering these countries.

Golden Peacock Shipping company runs a speedboat three times a week on the Mekong river between [[Jinghong]] in southern Yunnan and [[Chiang Saen]] (Thailand). Passengers are not required to have visas for [[Laos]] or [[Myanmar]], although the greater part of the trip is on the river bordering these countries.

+

Be aware that shipping can be halted when the river levels are to high or to low which is often the case. Due to piracy the transport on the river was closed for some time in late 2011 and early 2012.

==Get around==

==Get around==

−

From Kunming you can take a train to Dali, but from there you'll need to travel by bus north to Lijiang and Shangrila. see [[Yunnan tourist trail]] for details.

+

===By bus===

+

Everything and everywhere is accessible by bus from [[Kunming]]. [[Dali]] takes about four hours, [[Lijiang]] seven, [[Zhongdian]] twelve. Generally, the transport network is built as hub and spoke, so the easiest way of getting to a smaller place is to travel to next biggest town near it, change and maybe change again. You can now reach most larger towns in Yunnan by day bus. There are a lot of night bus services as well. There is a large collection of bus schedules, taken at bus stations all around the province, at [http://www.yunnanexplorer.com/transport/].

+

+

===By plane===

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Within Yunnan, there are planes to [[Jinghong]], [[Dali]], [[Lijiang]], [[Zhongdian]] as well as lesser known destinations such as [[Dehong]], [[Tengchong]], [[Wenshan]] and [[Zhaotong]]. A new airport of interest to tourists is under construction at [[Lugu| Lugu Lake]]. CFA China Flight Adventures runs private planes and helicopters from several locales in Yunnan, as well as aerial flightseing tours to Yunnan's tourist spots.

−

From Kunming you can take a short flight into [[Jinghong]] ([[Xishuangbanna]])

+

===By train===

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Kunming is also the hub of train transport in Yunnan. Day and night trains now go both to Dali and Lijiang. Trains heading to east stops by Stone forest. Otherwise trains are of little importance to tourists inside the province.

===By bicycle===

===By bicycle===

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Bicycle touring in Yunnan is a very good way to explore the local landscape and many cyclists from world have done this.The Dian-Zang highway(Yunnan Tibet highway) is one of the best cycling routes in China, and many cyclists gather together to explore the landscape and ethnic minority culture. You can hire bicycles in some cities, like [[Lijiang]] and [[Dali]]. It is possible to deliver your bike by train or bus. Yunnan Cycling [http://www.yunnancycling.com] a local cycling website.

* Swim in one of deepest and cleanest lakes of China - [[Fuxian]] lake by [[Yuxi]]

==Buy==

==Buy==

For the game of '''Go''' (Chinese: weiqi &#22260;&#26827;), the best Chinese stones are ''Yúnz&#464;'' (&#20113;&#23376;), Yunnan stones. They are quite different from Japanese stones, and much cheaper. The flower and bird market in [[Kunming]] is a good place to pick up a set, and it is possible to visit the factory near Kunming. See the Yunzi article [http://senseis.xmp.net/?Yunzi] on the go players' wiki, Sensei's Library.

For the game of '''Go''' (Chinese: weiqi &#22260;&#26827;), the best Chinese stones are ''Yúnz&#464;'' (&#20113;&#23376;), Yunnan stones. They are quite different from Japanese stones, and much cheaper. The flower and bird market in [[Kunming]] is a good place to pick up a set, and it is possible to visit the factory near Kunming. See the Yunzi article [http://senseis.xmp.net/?Yunzi] on the go players' wiki, Sensei's Library.

* Guo Qiao Mi Xian, meaning "Crossing the Bridge" Noodles, is a local style of steamy noodles with a variety of vegetables and meats.

+

* Guo Qiao Mi Xian(过桥米线), meaning "Crossing the Bridge" Rice Noodles, is a local style of steamy noodles with a variety of vegetables, meats, and usually a raw quail egg. The price of Guo Qiao Mi Xian is &yen;3-15 or higher, which determines what types of dishes you are given to add to the mix.

+

*Er Kuai - this very convenient food is typically eaten for breakfast or as a snack throughout the day. It is similar to a burrito in that it consists of a round shell (made from steamed and pounded white rice in this case) and then it is filled with a variety of sauces, pickled or steamed vegetables, and often a filling such as grilled sausage, youtiao, a stewed tea egg, or even all three.

+

* Yunnan people eat lots of spicy food, nearly each dish you order in a restaurant can be fairly spicy, so if you don't like spicy food, you should tell the waiter or waitress first, in Mandarin: wo bu chi la, which means I don't eat spicy food or wo bu xi huan la cai, which means I don't like spicy food.

+

* The tofu in Shi Ping county /石屏/ is very famous. The sauerkraut in Xinping county is famous. Xinping is a Yi Nationality Autonomous County in Yuxi city.

+

* RuBing, Yunnan goat cheese, is one of the three cheeses (the other being Yak cheese) traditionally produced in China. It is an unaged cheese and is similar to paneer or queso fresco in both taste and in the process of making it. It is usually served fried on its own or with vegetables, musrooms, or meat.

+

*RuShan- another Yunnan cheese, this one is traditionally stretched and dried along bamboo poles. It is served either grilled or fried and has a chewy consistency. It is most commonly topped with white sugar but may also come plain. It seems to handle freezing better than some cheeses.

+

* LaoNaiYangYu (Grandmother's Potatoes) are another Yunnan favorite. While potatoes are usually called Tudou in the rest of China, Yunnan calls them Yangyu (Yang 洋 is a term often designating imported or foreign things, so supposedly potatoes were called 'yangyu' because they were not originally part of chinese agriculture and diets but were a food choice adopted from foreigners). Laonaiyangyu are like a spicier version of mashed potatoes with green onions mixed in.

+

* SuHongDou is a kidney bean dish. The beans are deep fried to the point of being crispy and are a great vegetarian option for any travelers in Yunnan.

==Drink==

==Drink==

* Yak butter tea

* Yak butter tea

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* Yunnan coffee

* Yunnan coffee

−

+

* Puerh Tea

* Yunnan red wines. Some, such as Shangrila brand, are quite good.

* Yunnan red wines. Some, such as Shangrila brand, are quite good.

+

* Beer Lao, imported from [[Laos]]. Local brands, the usual Chinese brands, and other imports are also available, but Beer Lao is very popular with travellers.

+

*Steeped baijiu (泡酒 - paojiu) - herbs, fruits, and medicinal plants steeped in baijiu for at least several months which imparts the baijiu with their flavor. Some varieties are drunk for their medicinal value while others are selected based on their flavor. Meizi jiu (梅子酒), or plum steeped baijiu is a popular choice.

−

* Beer Lao, imported from [[Laos]]. Local brands, the usual Chinese brands, and other imports are also available, but Beer Lao is very popular with travellers.

+

==Sleep==

==Stay safe==

==Stay safe==

+

All weapons will be confiscated by Customs. Keep bags nearby in public places. Like everywhere else, thieves can be a problem. On night buses one should especially take care of ones belongings.

Regions

Administratively, Yunnan is divided into 16 prefectures. Some of those are autonomous prefectures for various ethnic groups. For the traveller, Yunnan can be divided into seven regions:

Regions of Yunnan

Kunming PrefectureWithout a doubt the heart of Yunnan Province. You will likely pass through here whether or not you want to in Yunnan (not that it is a bad thing!)

Central YunnanWest of Kunming and where the hills start becoming more rugged. This is a very popular region for backpackers. It includes Dali Prefecture and Chuxiong Prefecture

Eastern YunnanFilled with the gorgeous scenery of the rolling hills of neighboring Guizhou and Guangxi transforming into the high, hilly plateau of Yunnan. This area includes many tourist sites not regularly visited by backpackers. It includes Zhaotong Prefecture, Qujing Prefecture and Wenshan Prefecture

Southeastern YunnanAmazingly diverse, in one day you could pass through arid badlands, lush pine forests, barren hills, rice terrace and tropical rainforests. The urban centres in this area of Yunnan are very compact and it is quite easy to get around from city to city to see the sights. It includes Yuxi Prefecture and Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture

Southern YunnanGeographically and ethnically part of Southeast Asia, but politically part of China. Jungle covers most of the terrain and this is probably the best region of China to escape the winter. It includes Simao Prefecture and Xishuangbanna, a major tourist area

Western YunnanHome to some very rugged, off-the-beaten-path terrain. Once the location of the famed Burma Road, it is now one of China's most alluring destinations. It includes Lincang Prefecture, Baoshan Prefecture, Dehong Prefecture and Nujiang Prefecture

Northwestern YunnanA chunk of ancient and historic Tibet within Yunnan's provincial boundaries. Many travelers come here to experience Tibet without having to enter the actual province and follow the road to West Sichuan. You will find towering mountain ranges and fascinating local culture here. It includes Lijiang Prefecture and Diqing Prefecture

Cities

1.Pu'er tea
Pu'er tea is produced in Yunnan province, China, and named after the town of Pu'er.The type of tea is different,we called green tea and black tea.Pu'er is compressed into a variety of shapes, theforms include: Bing, Beeng, Cake, or Disc;Tuocha, Bowl, or Nest;Brick;Square;Mushroom;Dragon Pearl;Melon, or gold melon.The best known pu'er areas are the Six Great Tea Mountains:
Gedeng (革登山): literally, "leather stirrup"
Yiwu (易武山):
Mangzhi (莽枝山): literally, "copper cauldron"
Manzhuan (蠻磚山): literally, "iron brick"
Yibang(倚邦山): literally, "wooden clapper"
Yōulè (攸樂山): literally, "copper gong"
Southwest of the river there are also nine lesser known tea mountains, which are isolated by the river. They are:

Mengsong (勐宋):
Pasha (帕沙):
Jingmai (景迈):
Nánnuò (南糯: a varietal of tea grows here called zĭjuān (紫娟, literally "purple lady") whose buds and bud leaves have a purple hue.
Bada (巴达):
Hekai(贺开):
Bulangshan(布朗山):
Mannuo(曼糯):
Xiao mengsong(小勐宋):
2.Festivals sand special groups
There are some special groups in Pu'er,most of them are Yi, Dai, Wa, Lahu ,and Hani people.They have their own festivals,The Torch Festival is belong to Yi people;Water Splashing Festival and God Fish section are belong to Dai people;The gourd Festival is belong to Lahu people,Lusheng dance is performed on Lahu traditional festival;The Wooden drum section is belong to Wa people;The Twin section is belong to Hani people .

Understand

Its name literally means south of the clouds. The province is one of the most diverse in China. The Northwest of the province is heavily influenced by Tibet, with whom it shares a border. The South is influenced by its proximity to Laos and Burma. The province is famed for its multitude of ethnic groups, whose diverse customs can still be seen today. Of China's fifty-five officially recognized ethnic minorities, twenty-five can be found in Yunnan: about one-third of the population is not ethnic Han-Chinese.

Talk

The official language of Yunnan is Standard Chinese (普通话; pǔtōnghuà). The region is home to a plethora of dialects from Chinese, Tibetan and Thai language families. Yunnan is home to many minority groups who each have their own different language.

Local towns will often have their own version of Mandarin which are sub-dialects of the South-Western dialect of Mandarin common to Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. Despite a heavy accent, the local dialect of Chinese is very similar to Northern Mandarin with only minor regional differences in grammar and pronunciation.

Get in

By train

Until 2003, Kunming was accessible by rail from Hanoi, Vietnam via a narrow-gauge railroad built by the French. The Chinese section of this rail route has since closed for passenger transport so the best way to get down to the border is by bus to Hekou (from where you can cross the border to Lao Cai and take the train to Hanoi), or by air from Kunming directly to Hanoi. One can take a train to Hanoi however via Nanning which is a safer option.

There is a railway from Hanoi to Nanning, Guangxi, and one with some sensational scenery from Nanning to Kunming. Another rail route reaches Kunming from central China via Guiyang, Guizhou, and a third one comes South to Kunming from Chengdu, Sichuan. All of these train routes offer spectacular scenery, with long stretches of bridges and tunnels.

By air

The new airport, "Kunming Changshui International Airport", is located 22 km outside of the urban area and the subway Line 6 to it is operational in time. Besides that, there are about 6 lines of airport transfer buses leading to hotels and passenger terminals in downtown. As the airport construction is a long belt shape, some boarding gates could be more than 800 meters from the security check points. Be aware of boarding time when you are visiting shops alone the long corridor.

Kunming has non-stop service from Beijing, Xiamen and other Chinese cities. There are also flights to Southeast Asia such as Hanoi, Bangkok, Vientiane, Mandalay, Yangon. Laotian airlines and the consulate are both in the Camellia hotel, Kunming.

Bus, by thumb

There are multiple roads from Laos into Yunnan. It's not too hard to hitchhike, but it will take some time because of the often abyssmal road conditions and inept drivers. If coming from Luang Namtha, Laos, bus services are available to JingHong in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. From Luang Prabang, Laos, a daily bus leaves at 7:00am for around 400,000 Lao kip. It arrives at the long distance bus station in Kunming very early in the morning the next day (around 5 or 6am depending on the driver). The road conditions on the Laos side both from Luang Namtha and Luang Prabang are at times sketchy and definitely mountainous to cause some people discomfort but get smoother on the China side and are much improved from awhile ago.

From Vietnam, the border crossing is from LaoCai, Vietnam, to HeKou, China. The rail route from HeKou to Kunming remains closed, so the only public transport option is by bus. The ride lasts roughly 10 hours, tickets cost around ¥135 and departure times are as following: 8:45am, 10:50am, 12:30pm, 1:00pm, 5:50pm, 5:55pm, 6:00pm, 6:05pm.

By boat

Golden Peacock Shipping company runs a speedboat three times a week on the Mekong river between Jinghong in southern Yunnan and Chiang Saen (Thailand). Passengers are not required to have visas for Laos or Myanmar, although the greater part of the trip is on the river bordering these countries.
Be aware that shipping can be halted when the river levels are to high or to low which is often the case. Due to piracy the transport on the river was closed for some time in late 2011 and early 2012.

Get around

By bus

Everything and everywhere is accessible by bus from Kunming. Dali takes about four hours, Lijiang seven, Zhongdian twelve. Generally, the transport network is built as hub and spoke, so the easiest way of getting to a smaller place is to travel to next biggest town near it, change and maybe change again. You can now reach most larger towns in Yunnan by day bus. There are a lot of night bus services as well. There is a large collection of bus schedules, taken at bus stations all around the province, at [1].

By plane

Within Yunnan, there are planes to Jinghong, Dali, Lijiang, Zhongdian as well as lesser known destinations such as Dehong, Tengchong, Wenshan and Zhaotong. A new airport of interest to tourists is under construction at Lugu Lake. CFA China Flight Adventures runs private planes and helicopters from several locales in Yunnan, as well as aerial flightseing tours to Yunnan's tourist spots.

By train

Kunming is also the hub of train transport in Yunnan. Day and night trains now go both to Dali and Lijiang. Trains heading to east stops by Stone forest. Otherwise trains are of little importance to tourists inside the province.

By bicycle

Bicycle touring in Yunnan is a very good way to explore the local landscape and many cyclists from world have done this.The Dian-Zang highway(Yunnan Tibet highway) is one of the best cycling routes in China, and many cyclists gather together to explore the landscape and ethnic minority culture. You can hire bicycles in some cities, like Lijiang and Dali. It is possible to deliver your bike by train or bus. Yunnan Cycling [2] a local cycling website.

See

Do

Swim in one of deepest and cleanest lakes of China - Fuxian lake by Yuxi

Buy

For the game of Go (Chinese: weiqi 围棋), the best Chinese stones are Yúnzǐ (云子), Yunnan stones. They are quite different from Japanese stones, and much cheaper. The flower and bird market in Kunming is a good place to pick up a set, and it is possible to visit the factory near Kunming. See the Yunzi article [3] on the go players' wiki, Sensei's Library.

Puer tea. Puer tea (普洱茶) is a local favorite of Yunnan. :)

Eat

Guo Qiao Mi Xian(过桥米线), meaning "Crossing the Bridge" Rice Noodles, is a local style of steamy noodles with a variety of vegetables, meats, and usually a raw quail egg. The price of Guo Qiao Mi Xian is ¥3-15 or higher, which determines what types of dishes you are given to add to the mix.

Er Kuai - this very convenient food is typically eaten for breakfast or as a snack throughout the day. It is similar to a burrito in that it consists of a round shell (made from steamed and pounded white rice in this case) and then it is filled with a variety of sauces, pickled or steamed vegetables, and often a filling such as grilled sausage, youtiao, a stewed tea egg, or even all three.

Yunnan people eat lots of spicy food, nearly each dish you order in a restaurant can be fairly spicy, so if you don't like spicy food, you should tell the waiter or waitress first, in Mandarin: wo bu chi la, which means I don't eat spicy food or wo bu xi huan la cai, which means I don't like spicy food.

The tofu in Shi Ping county /石屏/ is very famous. The sauerkraut in Xinping county is famous. Xinping is a Yi Nationality Autonomous County in Yuxi city.

RuBing, Yunnan goat cheese, is one of the three cheeses (the other being Yak cheese) traditionally produced in China. It is an unaged cheese and is similar to paneer or queso fresco in both taste and in the process of making it. It is usually served fried on its own or with vegetables, musrooms, or meat.

RuShan- another Yunnan cheese, this one is traditionally stretched and dried along bamboo poles. It is served either grilled or fried and has a chewy consistency. It is most commonly topped with white sugar but may also come plain. It seems to handle freezing better than some cheeses.

LaoNaiYangYu (Grandmother's Potatoes) are another Yunnan favorite. While potatoes are usually called Tudou in the rest of China, Yunnan calls them Yangyu (Yang 洋 is a term often designating imported or foreign things, so supposedly potatoes were called 'yangyu' because they were not originally part of chinese agriculture and diets but were a food choice adopted from foreigners). Laonaiyangyu are like a spicier version of mashed potatoes with green onions mixed in.

SuHongDou is a kidney bean dish. The beans are deep fried to the point of being crispy and are a great vegetarian option for any travelers in Yunnan.

Drink

Yak butter tea

Yunnan coffee

Puerh Tea

Yunnan red wines. Some, such as Shangrila brand, are quite good.

Beer Lao, imported from Laos. Local brands, the usual Chinese brands, and other imports are also available, but Beer Lao is very popular with travellers.

Steeped baijiu (泡酒 - paojiu) - herbs, fruits, and medicinal plants steeped in baijiu for at least several months which imparts the baijiu with their flavor. Some varieties are drunk for their medicinal value while others are selected based on their flavor. Meizi jiu (梅子酒), or plum steeped baijiu is a popular choice.

Sleep

Stay safe

All weapons will be confiscated by Customs. Keep bags nearby in public places. Like everywhere else, thieves can be a problem. On night buses one should especially take care of ones belongings.